Perforator



Sept 20 1927" E. LA. RITCHEY PERFORATOR Filed OGb. 19, .1925

mV//HV Patented sept. 2o, 1927.

UNITED ySTATES EDWAI) A. RITCI-IEY, F HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

PERFORATOR.

Application led October 19, 1925.

This invention has to do with a perforator and has particular referenceto a perforator intended to be operated in a well to perforate casing,orthe like, located therein.

It is an object of this invention to provide a perforator which willform perforations 1n a casing without ripping or distorting the casing.A

Another object of this invention is to provide a perforator which isopera-ble to form a plurality of perforations simultaneously.

Another object of this invention is to provide aperforator in which thecutting parts are comparatively small and simple and are mounted so thatthey are durable and effective. y It is a further object of thisinvention to provide a perforator in which the actuating member canovertravel after the cutters have been actuated without affecting thecutters.

It is another object of this invention to provide a perforator in whichthe parts are related so that they will not become clogged with sand ormud but will always remain in proper operating condition.

The various objects and features of my invention will be best and morelfully understood from the following detailed description of a typicalform of the invention 39 through which description reference is had inthe accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal detailed sectional view of the perforatorprovided by this invention showing it being run into a well cas- 5 ing.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the perforator showing it in an actuatedposition within a casing.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of 4 Fig. 2, and' Fig. 4 is anenlarged detailed transverse sectional view of the perfor'ator taken asindicated by line 4 4 on Fig. 1.

The device provided by this invention is intended to form perforationsin a casing C,

or the like, located in a well. The perforator includes, generally, abody 10, cutters 11 carried by the body, an actuating member or stem 12in connection with the body to actuate the cutters, and means 13operable to hold the body against longitudinal movement in the casingduring actuation of the cutters.

The body 10 is an elongate member round in cross sectional configurationand having a central longitudinal opening 15. The lower Serial No.63,324.

end portion 15a of the opening in the body is y symmetrically around thecentral'longitudinal axis of the device and the cutters are preferablylocated in a common horizontal plane. In the particular perforator shownin the drawings there are four cutters 11 located 90 degrees apartaround 'the body in a common horizontal plane. With this constructionthe device willfoperate to rform four perforations in a singleoperation.

The cutters 11 may be, and preferably are, all of the same size, andconstruction. In the preferred construction the outer end portion 2O ofeach cutter is shaped and nished as a. cutting part adapted to penetrateor cut through the casing C. In the construction shown in thedrawingsthe outer end portions of the cutters are somewhat reduced toform the cutting parts-'20. Each cutter is provided in its inner end,or, within the opening 15a of the body with a head 21 connected with themain portion of the cutter through a neck 22. The heads 21 of thecutters serve as parts by or through which the cutters are connectedwith the operating stem as will be hereinafter described.

The operating stem is slidably carried in the opening 15 so that itsupper end is above the body and its lower end within the portion 15aofthe opening'in the body. The entire device is adapted to be connectedwith an operating element such as a string of percussion tools ortubing. The upper end of the stem may be provided with a suitable sub orcoupling 30, adapted to connect the stem with the lower end of a stringof percussion tools, or tubing. The lower end portion 31 of theoperating stem is wedge shaped or tapered and is provided withguide-ways 32, adapted to carry the heads 21 of the cutters. The lowerend of the stem 1s down wardly tapered, or convergent, and 1s providedwith as many guide-ways as there are cutters. The guide-ways are shapedas shown 'in Fig. 4 `so that they hold the heads vof the cutters causingthe cutters to move radially in the openings 16 upon movement of thestem longitudinally with reference to the body. When the parts arerelated so that the heads of the cutters are at the lower or small endof the tapered part 31, the cutters are retracted or in the positionwhere they do not project beyond the body 10. As the tapered part 31 ismoved downwardly with reference to the body the cutters are movedoutwardly until the heads of the cutters are at the upper or large endof the tapered part at which time the cutters are in an actuated or outposition where they project far enough from the body to 'extend throughthe casing C. ln accordance with my invention the guide-ways 32 arecontin ned in, or on, the 'operating stem for a considerable distanceupward from the tapered part 31 so that the operating stem can con tinueto move downwardly, or over-travel, after the cutters are fully actuatedwithout further actuating or forcing the cutters downwardly in a mannerto rip the casing. In the construction shown in the drawings the lowerend portion of the stem in which the guide-Ways are formed, is somewhatlarger in diameter than the rest of the stem, in fact, it is made towork in the enlarged portion 15a of the opening of the body and co-0erates with the shoulder 40, formed in the ody between the opening 15and portion 15, to limit the upward movement ot the stem with referenceto the body. The downward movement of the stem with reference to thebody maybe limited by the olpling 30 'engaging the upper end of the Itwill be obvious that the various parts may be proportioned and relatedso that the desired relative movement can be obtained between thevarious parts.

The means 13, provided for holding the body against longitudinalmovement in the casing during operation of the cutters, may includeslips 50 adapted to be actuated to grip the casing C, friction means orsprings 5l adapted to engage the casing to actuate the sli s, and asuitable catch device for control ing the springs 51. The slips 50 arecarried on a suitable tapered part 52 at the upper end of the body andare provided with roughened faces 53 adapted to grip the interior of thecasing C. The springs 5l are leaf-springs of the type employed on tailpieces and are carried between upper and lower collars 54 and 55,respectively, slidably carried on a reduced part 56 of the body belowthe tapered part 52. The upper collar 54 engages, or, is connected withthe slips. The springs 51 are bowed outwardly to normally frictionallygrip the exterior of the casing. The means for controlling the springsmay include a spring latch 58 carried by the lower collar 55 toco-operate with a catch 59 on the body.

rl`he catch 59 is adapted to hold the latch 58 when the springs 51 arein a down position with reference to the body in which position theslips are down or inactuated. The latch 58 is in a form of a leaf-springnormally tending to assume a position such as is shown in Fig. 5, andthere fore must be sprung or forced inwardly in order to engage underthe catch 59. When the latch is held by the catch, the slips are down orinaotuated and the tool can be easily moved downwardly in the casing. Torelease the springs 51 so that they will actuate the slips 50, thedevice is moved upwardly in the casing suiicient to allow the latch tobecome released from the catch whereupon the downward movement of thedevice, or of the tubing connected with the operating stem 12, willcause movement of the body with reference to the springs 51 causingactuation oi' the sli s 50. When the slips have been actuated tide bodycan not move downwardly in the casino' so continued downward movement ofthe drill pipe will move the stem downwardly with reference to the bodyin a manner to actuate the cutters.

I provide means for holding the operating stem in an up position withreference to the' body while the device is being run into the casing Cthis means may include a shear pin 60 connecting the body 10 and stem 12so that the stem will remain up with reference to the body during therunning of the tool into the casino but will shear off or fail, upon thestem being forced or jarred downwardly after the slips have gripped thecasing.

From the foregoing description of the device it is believed that themanner of operation will be apparent; the tool is run into the casing Cwith the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1; the stern 12 being heldin vthe up position with reference to the body 10 by the shear pin 60and the friction spring 51 being held down or in aposition where theslips are unactuated by the c0- operation of the latch 58 and catch 59.When the tool has been moved downwardly to the desired point of thecasin the latch 58 is released from the catch 59 by a slight upwardmovement of the tubing carrying the tool. The springs 51 being infriction engagement with the casing hold the latch 58 so that upwardmovement of the stem causes the catch 59 to move upward relative to thelatch and thus release it. When the latch is released and the slips set,the tubing may be lowered to shear oli' the pin 60 so that the stem canoperate with reference to the body. Downward movement of the stem willthen cause actuation of the cutters. The cutters are operatedsimultaneously and being arranged symmetrically within the casingoperate to punch through it without distortion. When the cutters havebeen actuated the stem is moved upwardl so that the cutters arewithdrawn and the ody moved upwardd ly in the casing to another positionwhere v the operation can be repeated.

Having described only a typical preferred form of my invention I do notwish to limit myself to the specific details set forth, but wish .toreserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear to thoseskilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claim.

Having described my invention, I claim:

A perforator including a body, a cutter l carried by the body, anoperating member 15 for the cutter, slips carried by the body operableto set the body in a casing, and control means for the slips, includinga spring normally frictionally engaging the casing and a catch devicecontrolling the movement between the spring and body, the catch devicecomprising a spring latch operable with the spring and a catch on thebody to hold the latch during downward movement of the perforator and torelease the latch upon upward movement of the body.

In witness that I claimv the foregoin I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 1 th day of September, 1925. y

EDWARD A. RITCHEY.

